It seems that there are far too many people in the church today seeking for the praise of men, while ignoring the approval of God. We tend to preach for the “amen,” sing for the applause, and generally serve in the church for a pat on the back. Something is very wrong with this picture. There is only one Person’s approval that we should be seeking … God Himself. Yesterday a humble servant of God stepped into the presence of His Savior. This man was a World War II veteran who received two purple hearts, and was a tremendous American. He was more than that … he was a great Christian. Not because of titles earned, but because of the character in his life.
I have been thinking about the void that will be left in our church because of this man’s home-going. We will miss him greatly. As I write this, I can hear his voice chiding me for promoting him. I can almost hear Don say, “It’s not about me … it is about our God.” Today I want to encourage you to consider a simple verse that I often think about. “’For all those things hath Mine hand made, and all those things have been,’ saith the LORD: ‘but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word’” (Isaiah 66:2).
God described the man (woman) that gets His attention. Notice this verse says nothing about our singing … our giving … our service in our community … it says nothing about how big our house is … how fast our car is … how many suits hang in our closets. The person who catches the eye of God is a person who is described as “poor,” of a “contrite spirit,” and a person that “trembleth at My word.” My friend, Don Evans, fit this description. His race here on earth has been run. He crossed the finish line to his home yesterday morning. My race … your race … is still being run. What kind of race am I running? What kind of race are you running? Are we distracted by the allure of this world and all its trappings? Are we focused on a finish line that the world has established and constantly moves? Are we living for our own pleasures while ignoring the needs of others around us? Are we running in fear of what might go wrong? God is looking for us to be poor. We need to understand that we need Him, and that we have nothing of ourselves in which to brag. He wants us to have a contrite spirit. He wants to see a spirit that is crushed to powder … completely humble. He desires for us to read His Word and tremble when we do. This is the man God looks to today. Don Evans was one of these men. I want to be too!